The convergence of personal computer type information handling systems and television based information handling systems such as television tuners, videocassette recorders (VCRs), video laser disc player, digital versatile disk (DVD) players, and the like, have resulted in video information viewing systems with expanded features and capabilities and are often referred to as PC/TV's or convergence devices. In a typical convergence device, a personal computer core system is expanded to include hardware and software for coupling with and controlling standard video devices that provide standard video signals. For example, a convergence device may include a peripheral card that includes inputs for receiving the video and audio output provided by a VCR such that the video and audio signals may be processed and displayed or reproduced by the convergence device. The VCR, conforming with previously existing standards, receives infrared (IR) input commands from a control device capable of providing IR encoded input commands for controlling the VCR (e.g., record, play, stop, tune to specified television channels, etc.), for example a remote control device. The convergence device may include an infrared data encoder and transmitter for transmitting control commands from the convergence device to the VCR. However, more likely than not, the VCR is capable of receiving input commands and data only, and is not capable of returning information such as state data to the control device. The only outputs provided by a standard VCR are the video and audio signals. Thus, a device that is controlling a video device such as a VCR is not provided with data regarding the state or status of the video device, e.g., whether a received command was verified and successfully implemented, thereby making verification of control of the device difficult if not limited or impossible.
Encoding of information within a video signal has been implemented by previous systems. For example, Electronic Industry Association (EIA) standard EIA-608 defines a protocol for the transmission of data such as closed captioning information on field 2, line 21, of the vertical blanking interval (VBI) of a National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) video signal. Typically, an encoder at the broadcaster's location encodes closed captioning information into a video signal to be transmitted. A television receiver or VCR having a closed captioning decoder optionally decodes the encoded closed captioning data from the video signal and displays the data (i.e. text) on a portion of the television screen such that a subtitled text relating to words spoken in a program are available to hearing impaired viewers. Thus, the VBI encoding system is utilized to provide supplemental data in a broadcast television receiver. However, to date, no known system utilizes the vertical blanking interval to encode state information regarding a video device and to send the state information to a convergence device or PC/TV that controls the video device.